PRSP under severe time-pressure

The much-vaunted Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) entitled "Unlocking the Potential: National Strategy for Accelerated Poverty Reduction" has at long last been okayed and adopted by the National Economic Council. Originally envisaged as having a three-year timeframe, the PRSP has made its appearance 18 months too late, but redeemingly, as a full-fledged document, a perfected version over the interim PRSP formulated in March, 2003. While welcoming its advent, we cannot help notice that it's going to be a race against time as far as implementing the time-bound programme goes.

The government has claimed that the PRSP has been framed fully on its own initiative and it will be financed out of 14 percent resources of the GDP -- 10 percent of which will be mobilised internally, while the rest four percent will come from external sources. Much that we welcome the striving toward self-reliance, it is going to be a huge revenue collection effort alright. Judging by our experience, this will be a very challenging job.

The other point is that the PRSP will be implemented, we are told, in line with the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The problem here is that we are lagging behind insofar as the attainment of some of the MDGs are concerned. Still it is worth the effort since it is a target-oriented national development undertaking aiming to reduce poverty on a sustainable basis.

The poverty reduction strategy has some other ingredients that, we believe, will change things for the better. The idea of introducing online tenders should be extended a bit further by insisting that all prescribed forms for delivery of services be filled out online. It will help reduce wastage of time and corruption. Then the plan to recruit talented people from the private sector for government jobs to bring about a qualitative change in management and administration should pay dividends as well.

The decision to strengthen participatory local government system by holding Upazila and Zila Parishad elections is a commendable one, for local government bodies are always expected to play a crucial role in poverty alleviation. Rewarding good work by Union Councils will also work as an incentive for the local government body to perform better.

The provision for review, monitoring and evaluation of the PRSP will help it remain on track. We have to know where we stand and whether the PRSP is attaining its goals. The government has a little more than a year of its present tenure to make it work. That by itself is a formidable challenge.